Finally, someone commented. While I agree with Vernon that we shouldn’t promote a metal scrapyard next to Falls Park, what are we doing to move JM’s and the Prison? Nothing.
Given the context the recycler sounds like a great buffer between JM/Prison and Falls Park. This isn’t the day of Pitts Recycling, when there was very little regulation or zoning oversight.
Anything is good for Sioux Falls. Neighboring communities have no problem attracting new business. Our corrupt government stands idle. I suppose once we lose our tax base someone will finally pay attention. Hopefully, there’ll be action before infrastructure collapses and downtown starts looking like Detroit.
No one is proposing building a new prison or slaughterhouse there. TJN runs a decent operation, but no way should it go in down there. Look at how junky the neighborhood is around the one on West 12th.
Morrells will eventually be forced to build a new, efficient plant or shut down altogether. The math can make sense, that’s why they were talking a $100 million expansion not too long ago. They City should buy the Wintersteen land out by I-229/I-90 and make a long range plan to move both Morrells out there. Maybe get Morrels to take an option on half of it. TJN could go in right away, as the site already has railway access.
Also, the old Barney’s salvage yard on N. Cliff is also for sale, so again I ask why would we let TJN go in when scrap metal/autos/pigs etc. are all moving out?
Weber all the way up to 6th street is kind of adjacent to Falls Park too. It looks more like a recycling facility than a beautiful garden, and it’s consistent with the blue collar neighborhood to the east.
Sy- I agree totally. I just find it amusing that a city councilor would be publicly vocal about opposing a business in that area but says nothing about the stinkhole called Morrells. They know they need it for jobs, but you know it bugs the shit out of them they have to coddle it.
I don’t think this is hypocritical at all on Vernon’s behalf. Morrells and the prison have been there for decades upon decades whereas they are trying to determine if it makes sense to put a metal recycler business there today.
If it was as simple as picking up Morrells or the Pen and moving them 5 miles South of town I’m sure they would do so in a heartbeat, but we all know that isn’t about to happen. In this case, the city council is merely trying to avoid past mistakes – and I agree with them.
We can’t force businesses or facilities to move, but we surely don’t have to allow new ones down there. If Morrells does ever build a new facility or just decides to leave Sioux Falls then it is yet another opportunity to revitalize that area. It won’t happen overnight, but proper planning and time will result in something to be proud of.
But yes L3wis – most elected leaders dare not say anything negative about Morrells… in public anyway.
Nobody – which is why they should just leave the land vacant until we know what the future holds for JMs.
There is plenty of other land available for industrial use, so if that lot has to sit empty for a decade or two I don’t think that is the worst thing in the world.
So we should force the owners of the stockyards to continue to pay property taxes on land they COULD sell to an available buyer? That’s stupid. If we have to screw around and wait for JM’s to tell us when they are closing, maybe they should buy the land and turn it into an employee parking lot.
The city should buy the land at market value. No need to force the owners to keep it idle and pay taxes on it. But there is also no reason to add another mistake to the list of mistakes we have made in that area.
Ten years from now JM could close and that area would be ripe for redevelopment… but if we have a metal recycler there it will always be a problem.
ohhhhh this is so perfect.
Finally, someone commented. While I agree with Vernon that we shouldn’t promote a metal scrapyard next to Falls Park, what are we doing to move JM’s and the Prison? Nothing.
Given the context the recycler sounds like a great buffer between JM/Prison and Falls Park. This isn’t the day of Pitts Recycling, when there was very little regulation or zoning oversight.
Anything is good for Sioux Falls. Neighboring communities have no problem attracting new business. Our corrupt government stands idle. I suppose once we lose our tax base someone will finally pay attention. Hopefully, there’ll be action before infrastructure collapses and downtown starts looking like Detroit.
No one is proposing building a new prison or slaughterhouse there. TJN runs a decent operation, but no way should it go in down there. Look at how junky the neighborhood is around the one on West 12th.
Morrells will eventually be forced to build a new, efficient plant or shut down altogether. The math can make sense, that’s why they were talking a $100 million expansion not too long ago. They City should buy the Wintersteen land out by I-229/I-90 and make a long range plan to move both Morrells out there. Maybe get Morrels to take an option on half of it. TJN could go in right away, as the site already has railway access.
Also, the old Barney’s salvage yard on N. Cliff is also for sale, so again I ask why would we let TJN go in when scrap metal/autos/pigs etc. are all moving out?
Weber all the way up to 6th street is kind of adjacent to Falls Park too. It looks more like a recycling facility than a beautiful garden, and it’s consistent with the blue collar neighborhood to the east.
Sy- I agree totally. I just find it amusing that a city councilor would be publicly vocal about opposing a business in that area but says nothing about the stinkhole called Morrells. They know they need it for jobs, but you know it bugs the shit out of them they have to coddle it.
I don’t think this is hypocritical at all on Vernon’s behalf. Morrells and the prison have been there for decades upon decades whereas they are trying to determine if it makes sense to put a metal recycler business there today.
If it was as simple as picking up Morrells or the Pen and moving them 5 miles South of town I’m sure they would do so in a heartbeat, but we all know that isn’t about to happen. In this case, the city council is merely trying to avoid past mistakes – and I agree with them.
We can’t force businesses or facilities to move, but we surely don’t have to allow new ones down there. If Morrells does ever build a new facility or just decides to leave Sioux Falls then it is yet another opportunity to revitalize that area. It won’t happen overnight, but proper planning and time will result in something to be proud of.
But yes L3wis – most elected leaders dare not say anything negative about Morrells… in public anyway.
What kind of business do you think would be interested in that land if not industrial? Seriously? Who would want to be across the street from JM’s?
Nobody – which is why they should just leave the land vacant until we know what the future holds for JMs.
There is plenty of other land available for industrial use, so if that lot has to sit empty for a decade or two I don’t think that is the worst thing in the world.
So we should force the owners of the stockyards to continue to pay property taxes on land they COULD sell to an available buyer? That’s stupid. If we have to screw around and wait for JM’s to tell us when they are closing, maybe they should buy the land and turn it into an employee parking lot.
The city should buy the land at market value. No need to force the owners to keep it idle and pay taxes on it. But there is also no reason to add another mistake to the list of mistakes we have made in that area.
Ten years from now JM could close and that area would be ripe for redevelopment… but if we have a metal recycler there it will always be a problem.
Sounds good to me. The city should buy it.
They could also use it as a Parks and Rec or Public works storage yard.